With the rising cost of groceries, local filmmakers Micah Khan and Victoria Diana are looking to cultivate their own produce this year. They’ve enrolled in Seed to Supper, a program offered by the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Schenectady County.
“The cost of groceries is skyrocketing, so we thought why not learn to grow our own food,” Khan expressed.
“I’ve always wanted to learn this skill, but never had the chance,” Diana chimed in.
The program, spread over six sessions, covers everything from garden planning to seeding and harvesting.
“Our aim is to teach people how to grow a part of their own food on a budget, from the beginning to the end,” explained Angie Tompkins, a community horticulture educator and master gardener program coordinator.
The program, which is free, is designed to help those struggling with food insecurity, a problem that is increasing. According to a recent New York state report, 16.6% of adults in Schenectady County reported limited access to food. The numbers are even higher in Fulton County (25%) and Montgomery (21.3%), while Saratoga reported 16.3%.
The Seed to Supper program has been running in Schenectady for a few years, hosted at the Sustainable Living Center in Central Park. It has now expanded to other locations, including Keane Elementary and the Salvation Army on Lafayette Street.
“The program has generated a lot of interest and we wanted to make it more accessible by offering it at different locations and times,” Tompkins said.
For Khan and Diana, the program offers an opportunity to save money and learn something new.
In a recent session, they learned how to seed a variety of vegetables at the Sustainable Living Center. These will later be planted in raised beds. The previous session covered composting and soil health.
“Composting was fascinating. I had no idea what it involved,” Khan admitted.
Rotterdam resident Dawn D’Arcangelo, who was also attending the session, echoed Khan’s sentiment.
“Composting was my favorite class because I love soil and it’s something I know the least about,” D’Arcangelo said.
As a longtime vegan, D’Arcangelo hopes to develop a green thumb through the program.
“I’m a first-generation Italian American. My father could grow anything. He never taught us that skill, so I’m here to learn,” D’Arcangelo said.
Plant More, Give More
A group of women from the Messiah Lutheran Church in Rotterdam joined the program to improve their gardening skills for the Bread of Life Food Pantry at the Rotterdam Community Center.
“We’re just trying to enhance our skills,” said Jean Jones, who leads the church’s garden.
“A few years ago, we replaced shrubs and other plants in the parsonage with vegetables and herbs. We gradually expanded the garden, added raised beds, and even tried vertical gardening,” Jones explained.
Jones, who has been gardening for years, first at her Schenectady home and now in Amsterdam, hopes to increase their yield through the program, so they can give more to the community.
For Schenectady resident Cassandra Williams, the program is helping her expand on her gardening skills that she started with a community garden.
“I gardened for two years in a community garden, and now that I have a bigger backyard, I thought I’d try this myself. This is more of a learning experience for me,” Williams said.
In the past, she’s had success with sage, tomatoes, collard greens, cucumbers, and peppers. She’s also come to love the work that goes into gardening.
“I love getting out there early in the morning,” Williams said.
The physical work of planting, weeding, and harvesting requires preparation well beforehand. That’s why Seed to Supper starts in February, delving into how to plan for various crops and how to build healthy soil.
The program also covers basic care, including watering, fertilizing, weeding and pest management, as well as harvesting. It also touches on the nutritional aspects of gardening.
Having a green space isn’t a requirement for the program. Those who live in apartments and homes without a yard can use container gardening.
“The program has provided large containers to those who wanted them, so they can transplant some of their crops into them,” Tompkins said.
Beyond growing a garden, the program also helps to build a sense of community.
“At the end of the season, we host Seed to Supper picnics. We ask participants to come back at the end of the summer and share their gardening experiences,” Tompkins said.
“Last year, we had a young couple who had never gardened before. They took the class and sent us pictures of their garden, which was filled with vegetables. It was amazing to see their success,” said Sandra Butts, the association program director for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Schenectady County.
“It was so rewarding to see their success, especially since it was their first time gardening,” Butts added.
Some participants have even gone on to take Cornell Cooperative Extension’s master gardener volunteer training and become volunteers.
While the classes are full this season, Seed to Supper will be offered again next year. For more information, visit schenectady.cce.cornell.edu.
Disagree – The Seed to Supper Program is making a real difference in our community.
Disagree – The Seed to Supper Program needs more resources to truly make an impact on food insecurity in Schenectady.